The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-11-25
hetter fron CnIifornia.
WEST FALL Brook, Cal, Oct, ~, 1887,

Editor Lake Charles Eoho'
For the benefit of many write you long
letter. At the cost of a serious effort on the
10th of October we broke away from Lake
Charles and tore ourselves from many friends,
both tried and true. The bell rang and our
train pulled out and fed away into Texas in
q very short time. Night coming on, we re-
great excitement we soon fell into the sound
est and sweetest sleep. Nothing disturbed
us till we looked through our window and saw
the electric lights Illuminating the city Of
Houston. suppose we tarried here but q
short time at least we were soon uncon-
scious Of all, even that we sped away at rail-
road speed through the country were train
robbers were apprehended.
Next morning we looked out and saw at a
distance the military headquarters, which the
train passed just before we entered the city
Of San Antonio The gong sounded and we
sought a lunch stand, but alas We did not
find any Caleaseu coffee. However we drank
such as we found and gratified a good appe-
tite out of our lunch basket Presently we
boarded the train and on to the Western
World we went. During the forenoon we
saw bat little except the sandy wastes, cactus
and the Texas mesquite tree. Most slowly
the hours passed away, We sat on the plat
form in the rear of the sleeper, looked out
on the perpetual sameness Of things and
talked Of old louisiana Lake Charles and
Caleasleu parish. We thought Of tho gener-
Gus people and looked back Wistfnlly to the
happy land of the Gulf breeze. Passive
thought clothed upon us and we yielded to
Teyerie, thinking of the profits Of the past and
contemplating the possibilities of the future
Early in the afternoon we reached the Rio
Grande River. There is no valley, but the
stream runs through deep cut through tho
mountains called a canyon. Tho scenery at
this point on for many miles was most
splendid. We had seen ahead the mountains
In the distance. Now we were passing within
q few feet of mighty heights of rock piled on
rock for 300 feet above us, while the muddy
and turbulent Rio Grande flowed along many
feet below. Now and then the train would
pass beneath almighty crag or under an over
hanging cliff apparently, TO our eye, ready to
tumble upon us. At other points the rocks
would be perpendicular and presented the
appearance of q huge rock wall Again we
could see great caves, and later It was as some
eXtTaYagant specimen of art representing a
type of ancient temples or CASTLES. Gliding
by one scene after another we passed until
we entered the first tunnel OF 1926 feet and
the second Of 1900 feet In length. Mrs. 8.
and / were standing out on the platform, arm
in arm, and for several seconds we were out
of sight Of each other. But Of all the most
wonderful sights to my eye was the Rio
Grande River. How q river could ever have
found its way through such mountains and
passed down It's canyon is easily understood, ,
but how this canyon came to be here Is very
wonderful
About nightfall we passed away from the
canyon of the Rio Grande through a canyon
Of an old river bed, out upon plateau. We
found that keeping out watch for new
sights was tiresOme when kept up all day,
We retired early again, and we never slept
more soundly we were unconscious of the
hours passing, the distance we were making
oV,H Z
this sleep we passed the highest altitude be-
tween Louisiana and New Mexico. About
200 miles before we reached I'll Paso we were
$3.50 feet above the sea.
We looked out of our window as the sun
was rising, and saw train In the distance,
which told us we were nearing the junction
of the Texas Pacific and Southern Pacific
railroads. There we heard loud talk about
train robbers. We had already heard much
on this subject but nothing so excited or so
pointed. We soon learned that 1t was not
our train that was robbed but the train we
had passed In the night That two men had
boarded 1t and were repulsed In their attempt
at plundering the train. When we got to
FL Paso the bodies of the slain men were
there, and praise to the express officer, Smith,
who shot the men, was on all lips.
El Pas0 is quite nice little city. About
the size of Lake Charles The best show for
town, along this route, between San Anto-
nio, Texas, and Los Angeles, California. We
did not have time to go out into the cityye
much. The hotels near the depot were v3 very y
poor SO we had much dealings with fruit
vendors and waited patiently on the baggage
master. If you ever come out here TO soc us,
get your baggage checked through, or else
don't start.
Leaving El Paso we crossed over into New
Mexico. 1t appeared to be very much the
came country. The only difference being
there was less vegetation and more sand and
rock and higher mountains. The towns are
full Of Wind-mills. Thus the people get wa
ter from their deep wells. This country
from FL PasO to Colton--is q great rainless
plain, without rain for the most part but
when 1t does rain, enough falls In one shower
to run rainy spell In Louisiana for six
weeks. The cactus here grows to immense
size, guess the largest specimen gets to be
"a inches In diameter and 30 feet high, The
soil appears to be great bed Of sand, yet
there is strength In il to your surprise. /
saw where some cotton seed had been thrown
from the cars In the sand in Arizona. The
plant had grown To be i've feet high, was
well filed with bolls, forms and both white
and red blooms. .@H&"
Just before we left Arizona we came to the
Colorado River, on whose banks stands the
curious town of Yuma. With her adobe
houses and painted Indians she presents
quite Western appearance more like Mex
FtfeAN NAAAAshtrNAs RAAW
palmetto tree, growing here In this sand,
larger than ever saw N The valleys Of Loul-
siRna rivers From this point Cotton Is made
10 about nine hours. Crossing this desert,
we go down, says my tourist guide, about 266
feet below the level of the sea. We see In
sea, while the far away mountains seem to
stand on the farther shore. The train stop
ped and the porter said this Is Cotton We
got Of, and sure enough we were In Califor-
MIA. We went to the hotel. We found III
almost as II Is In Louisiana except much
crowded. Out Of the forty persons getting
of here some fifteen Of them kept late hours
Early next morning VIC went out 10 soc, and
Just such log q Louislanisu peYer saw be-
fore. But early III the forenoon It was sll
gone and IN the distance was Mt. San Bernar-
dino, and beyond II a higher mountain cap
ped With perpetual snow. We got on the
street car to take a ride.
Scarcely had we got out Of Cotton I'LL we
were ID the beautiful city Of San Bernardino,
county site Of San Berpardino county, With
IT'S 1000 people. We spent the forenoon ad-
miling the new things III this new country,
No door yards are fenced. Hedges apdnoW-
ers take The place Of yard fences in this
country.
AL ii d. M, We boarded the train on tho
California Southern r. n. for this point In
my next I VIII cay what have learned about
California.
The Echo win be q welcome messenger
when II comes to this California home. The
best Wishes Of whole family to all the peo-
pic Of Caleasieu parish.
A. b seoFIELD.
Shreveport Times. The Times was
reliably informed that 10000 fares
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